Method and device for transferring springs into an assembler

ABSTRACT

During a method for transferring springs into holding means of an assembler, the springs are arranged one behind the other in a row and are delivered in a direction of conveyance by means of a spring conveyor and are transferred in groups into the holding means of the assembler. The spring conveyor conveys the springs into the assembler. They are then displaced perpendicular to the direction of conveyance by means of a sliding bar integrated in the assembler.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a method and a device for transferring springsinto holding means of an assembler, according to the preamble of patentclaims 1 and 7.

PRIOR ART

In the manufacture of spring cores for mattresses, paddings or seatcushions, springs are wound in a spring winding machine, transferred viaa spring winding station to a spring conveyor and fed by the latter viaa transfer device to an assembly device. which is also called anassembler. In this assembly device, coil wires are guided through theindividual spring rows and the individual springs are thus connected toone another to form spring cores.

DE-A-24 13 033 discloses an assembler of this type. U.S. Pat. No. 3,774,652 describes a transfer device which has rotary tables, in order torotate the springs into desired positions before they are transferredinto the assembler.

DE-A-1 552 150 discloses a transfer device which has individual grippingarms for transferring individual springs, the gripping arms being guidedin a slotted guide track.

If springs are missing, a spring is oriented incorrectly or other faultsoccur, this fault has to be corrected by hand in the region of theassembler. However, the transfer device impedes free access to theassembler and therefore has to be removed first of all in a relativelylaborious manner. This leads to a relatively long interruption ofproduction whenever a fault occurs.

Furthermore, DE-A-195 42 844 discloses a transfer device having asliding bar which is connected to a rotational pin via a lever. Here, arotation of the rotational pin is converted into a horizontaldisplacement of the bar. Individual slides which bear against innersides of a respective run of a belt conveyor under spring loading arearranged on the bar. The springs which are delivered clamped betweenthese belt conveyors can be pushed out of the region of the beltconveyors into assembly tongs by means of these slides. When a faultoccurs in this system, the assembler is removed by being pushed awayfrom the transfer device which is connected to the conveyor. As aresult, the operating personnel can move into a gap between the beltconveyor and the assembler and fix the fault. This is relativelytime-consuming and complicated.

Furthermore, the transfer device or parts thereof usually also have tobe exchanged if the type and shape of the springs are changed. Thisexchange is often time-consuming and complicated in the known transferdevices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a method and adevice for transferring springs into holding means of an assembler,which method and device make access to the transfer station possible ina simple manner.

This object is achieved by a method and a device having the features ofpatent claims 1 and 7, respectively.

In the method according to the invention for transferring springs, thelatter are delivered in a conveying direction by means of a springconveyor arranged one behind another in a row and are transferred ingroups and perpendicularly with respect to the conveying direction intothe holding means of the assembler. Here, they are delivered directlyfrom the spring conveyor into the assembler with avoidance of adedicated transfer device. For this purpose, the spring conveyorprotrudes into the assembler. A sliding bar which is used fortransferring the springs from the spring conveyor to the assembler canbe removed from the transfer region in a simple manner; in particular,it can be lowered. Faults during transfer can thus be fixed in a simplemanner.

Furthermore, it is advantageous that the size of the system isminimized.

Furthermore, it is an object of the invention to provide a method and adevice, the sliding bar of which can be moved relatively simply and canbe exchanged in a simple manner.

This object is achieved by a method and a device having the features ofpatent claims 3 and 9, respectively.

In this method and this device, the springs are displaced by means ofthe sliding bar, by the sliding bar being displaced along a horizontalpath which is predefined by at least one slotted guide track, fortransferring the springs. This variant or embodiment can also be used ina dedicated transfer device, for example in a system which has a springconveyor, an assembler and the transfer device, the spring conveyorrunning between the assembler and the transfer device.

Further advantageous variants of the method and advantageous embodimentsemerge from the dependent patent claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the following text, the subject matter of the invention will beexplained by using a preferred exemplary embodiment which is shown inthe appended drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a diagrammatic side view of an assembler having a transferunit according to the invention which is integrated into the assembler;

FIG. 2 shows a view from above of the assembler according to FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a diagrammatic side view of the transfer unit according toFIG. 1, and

FIG. 4 shows a view from above of the transfer unit according to FIG. 3.

WAYS OF IMPLEMENTING THE INVENTION

FIGS. 1 and 2 show an assembler or an assembly machine, into which atransfer unit 1 having a sliding bar 16 is integrated according to theinvention, with the result that a dedicated transfer device is notnecessary.

For this purpose, side plates 10 which protrude partially beyond theframe 2 are fastened to one longitudinal side of the frame 2. A firstend face or end side of the frame 2 is penetrated by a spring conveyorwhich protrudes into the assembler at least as far as a transfer stationand therefore transports the springs into the assembler with avoidanceof a dedicated transfer device. In the example which is described here,this spring conveyor is formed by two conveyor belts 4, 5 which runparallel to one another and above one another and circulate endlessly.

Otherwise, the assembler corresponds substantially to the assemblerswhich are known in the prior art. For example, it has upper and lowertongs carriers 6, 7 having a plurality of tongs 70 which accommodatesprings which are arranged behind one another in rows. Other holdingmeans can also be used instead of the upper and lower tongs.Furthermore, the assembler has a wire coil feeding device 3 which ispreferably arranged on one end side of the frame 2. By means of thisfeeding device 3, a coil wire can be wound through the spring rows whichare held in the tongs 70 and, as a result, can connect the springs toform a spring coil.

For this purpose, the springs are delivered one after another, that isto say in rows, to the transfer station of the assembler by means of thespring conveyor. During transport, the springs are clamped individuallybetween the lower and the upper conveyor belts 4, 5 in a prestressedmanner. In the transfer station, the springs are transferred in groupsinto the holding means, the transfer taking place parallel to the planeof the conveyor belts and perpendicularly with respect to the conveyingdirection. For this purpose, the springs are pushed into the holdingmeans 70 by means of a sliding bar 16 which is mounted displaceablybetween the two side plates 10. Here, the drive takes place on each sidevia a first gearwheel 11′ which is driven by motor and is connected toin each case one second gearwheel 11 via a drive chain 12. A driver 15which slides along a guide rod 14 which runs parallel to thedisplacement direction is fastened to the drive chain 12. Here, thedriver 15 penetrates a horizontally running slot 14′ in the side plate10.

Firstly, the sliding bar 16 is fastened pivotably on the driver 15, thesliding bar 16 being connected fixedly to a connecting rod 18 which isin turn arranged pivotably on the driver 15 via a rotational bearing15′. Secondly, the driver 15 is connected via the same rotationalbearing 15′ to a lever 19, as can be seen in FIG. 3. The lever 19 isconnected fixedly in terms of rotation to the connecting rod 18.

A running roller or guide roller 19′ which rolls along a slotted guidetrack 13 is arranged at the free end of the lever 19. This slotted guidetrack 13 is made in the side plate 10 and extends at least approximatelyhorizontally and therefore in the perpendicular direction with respectto the conveying direction in a front region which faces the transferstation. In the rear region, it is configured to curve downward.

As can be seen in FIG. 3, the sliding bar 16 can therefore assumedifferent positions. In order to transfer the springs F, it can be movedalong the horizontal path of the slotted guide track 13 or along thehorizontal guide rod 14 in the horizontal direction transversely withrespect to the conveying direction, with the result that the springs Fare displaced from the transfer station to the holding means. In FIG. 3,A denotes the position of the sliding bar 16 before transfer of thesprings F, B denotes the outermost possible position of the sliding barwhich can be reached during the transfer of the springs F, and C denotesa position which is a service position.

The position B is shown in a somewhat exaggerated manner for betterclarity of the drawing. It is not necessary that the sliding bar 16 isdisplaced so far forward. However, it is usually removed againcompletely from the region of the two conveyor belts 4, 5 after eachtransfer, as is shown in position A.

In the service position according to designation C, the sliding bar 16is inclined downward toward the transfer station. As a result, itreleases the transfer station, that is to say the two conveyor belts 4,5, with the results that the latter are then easily accessible, withoutit being necessary for any parts of the transfer station to be removed.

The transfer station T can be seen in FIG. 4. Said transfer station T isdefined by that section of the two conveyor belts 4, 5 which lies in theregion of the sliding bar 16, that is to say it is that section of thespring conveyor, from which the springs are transferred into the holdingmeans 70. The conveying direction of the spring conveyor is shown inFIG. 4 with a single arrow, and the displacement direction of thesliding bar 16 is shown with a double arrow.

Furthermore, sliding guides 17 can be seen in FIG. 4, which slidingguides 17 are arranged in the front region of the sliding bar 16. Thesesliding guides 17 are adapted to the external shape of the respectivesprings F. Here, they are therefore configured in the shape of asemicircle. However, they can also be in the shape of a partial circle,an ellipse or a corner. The sliding guides 17 are usually verticalc-shaped elements which are fastened to the sliding bar 16. The elementsare preferably not prestressed or of resilient configuration. However,they preferably have, at least in their upper and lower regions, theabovementioned recess which is adapted to the spring shape. In addition,the upper and lower surfaces of the elements are preferably manufacturedfrom a material having good sliding properties, for example Teflon.

The spacings between the elements are usually adapted accordingly to thespacings between the delivered springs. However, it is also possible toconfigure the sliding guides 17 as integral constituent parts of thesliding bar 16.

Irrespectively of the type of the arrangement of the sliding guides 17on the sliding bar 16, they can be exchanged in a simple way, by thesliding bar 16 itself being released from the rotational bearing 15′ andbeing removed from the assembler. The down times of the machine duringchanging of the springs or the sliding guides 17 can therefore beminimized.

The method according to the invention and the device according to theinvention therefore make access possible in a simple manner to theassembler or to the location, at which the springs are transferred intothe holding means. Furthermore, the transfer itself can be controlled ina simple manner. In addition, the system can be refitted in a very shorttime if the spring types are changed. As the conveyor protrudes into theassembler, the entire system can additionally be of extremely compactdesign.

List of Designations

F Spring

T Transfer station

1 Transfer unit

10 Side plate

11 First gearwheel

11′ Second gearwheel

12 Drive chain

13 Slotted guide track

14 Guide rod

14′ Slot

15 Driver

15′ Rotational bearing

16 Sliding bar

17 Sliding guide

18 Connecting rod

19 Lever

19′ Guide roller

2 Frame of the assembler

3 Wire coil feeding device

4 Upper conveyor belt

5 Lower conveyor belt

6 Upper tongs carrier

7 Lower tongs carrier

70 Tongs

1-16. (canceled)
 17. A method for transferring springs into holdingmeans of an assembler, comprising: delivering the springs in a conveyingdirection, by means of a spring conveyor arranged, one behind another ina row in groups into a holding means of the assembler; displacing thesprings perpendicularly with respect to the conveying direction by meansof a sliding bar; and causing the spring conveyor to transport thesprings into the assembler.
 18. The method as claimed in claim 17,wherein the springs are transported into the assembler on one end sideof the assembler.
 19. The method as claimed in claim 17, wherein thesliding bar is displaced along a horizontal path which is predefined byat least one slotted guide track, for transferring the springs.
 20. Themethod as claimed in claim 17, wherein the sliding bar is removedcompletely out of the region of the spring conveyor after each transfer.21. The method as claimed in claim 19, wherein the sliding bar is movedinto a service position by being displaced along a curved path of the atleast one slotted guide track.
 22. The method as claimed in claim 17,wherein the sliding bar is pivoted downward toward the spring conveyorin order to reach a service position.
 23. A device for transferringsprings, which are arranged one behind another in a row along aconveying direction, into holding means of an assembler, the devicehaving a sliding bar for transferring the springs in groups from aspring conveyor into the holding means of the assembler perpendicularlywith respect to the conveying direction, wherein the spring conveyorprotrudes into the assembler.
 24. The device as claimed in claim 23,wherein the sliding bar is an integral constituent part of theassembler.
 25. The device as claimed in claim 23, wherein said devicehas at least one slotted guide track, the sliding bar being arrangeddisplaceably along this at least one slotted guide track, and saidsliding bar displaceable along a horizontal path of this at least oneslotted guide track for transferring the springs.
 26. The device asclaimed in claim 25, wherein the at least one slotted guide track has alength which is dimensioned such that the sliding bar can be removedcompletely out of the region of the spring conveyor after each transferof springs.
 27. The device as claimed in claim 25, wherein the at leastone slotted guide track has a curved path, and the sliding bar ismoveable into a service position by displacement along this curved path.28. The device as claimed in claim 27, wherein the sliding bar ispivotable downward toward the spring conveyor in order to reach theservice position.
 29. The device as claimed in claim 23, wherein thesliding bar has sliding guides for accommodating in each case onespring, each sliding guide having a recess which corresponds to a partof an outer contour shape of the spring which is to be accommodated. 30.The device as claimed in claim 29, wherein the recess is configured inthe shape of a partial circle.
 31. A transfer device for transferringsprings, which are arranged one behind another in a row along aconveying direction, into holding means of an assembler, the transferdevice having a sliding bar for transferring the springs in groups intothe holding means of the assembler perpendicularly with respect to theconveying direction, wherein the transfer device has at least oneslotted guide track in which the sliding bar is arranged displaceablyalong this at least one slotted guide track, and said sliding bar isdisplaceable along a horizontal path of this at least one slotted guidetrack for transferring the springs.
 32. The device as claimed in claim31, wherein the at least one slotted guide track has a curved path, andthe sliding bar is moveable into a service position by displacementalong this curved path.